Challenge

Taken from Osho, The Perfect Master Vol. 2, pp. 307-311

challenge

A little struggle is a must. We become richer through the storms–lightning, thunder and sadness–as well as through joy and happiness. I have heard an ancient parable-must be very ancient because God used to live on the earth in those days.

One day a man came, an old farmer, and he said, “Look, you may be God, and you may have created the world, but one thing I must say to you: you are not a farmer. You don’t know even the abc of farming. You have something to learn.” God said, “What’s your advice?”

The farmer said, “You give me one year’s time, and just let things be according to me, and see what happens. There will be no poverty left!”

God was willing, and one year was given to the farmer. Naturally, he asked the best, he thought only of the best – no thunder, no strong winds, no dangers for the crop. Everything comfortable, cozy, and he was very happy. The wheat was growing so high! When he wanted sun, there was sun; when he wanted rain, there was rain, and as much as he wanted. This year everything was right, mathematically right.

The wheat was growing so high . . . the farmer would go to God and say, “Look! This time the crops will be such that for ten years, even if people don’t work, there will be enough food!” But when the crops were harvested, there was no wheat inside. The farmer was surprised. He asked God, ‘What happened? What went wrong?”

God said, “Because there was no challenge, because there was no conflict, no friction, because you avoided all that was bad, the wheat remained impotent. A little struggle is a must. Storms are needed, thunder, lightning is needed. They shake up the soul inside the wheat.”

This parable is of immense value. If you are just happy and happy and happy, happiness will lose all meaning. It will be as if somebody is writing with white chalk on a white wall–he can go on writing, but nobody will ever be able to read it.

The night is as much needed as the day. And the days of sadness are as essential as the days of happiness. This I call understanding. And slowly slowly, the more you see the rhythm of life, the rhythm of duality, the rhythm of polarity, you stop asking, you stop choosing. And you have found the secret! Live with this secret, and you will be suddenly surprised: how great is the blessing of life! How much is being showered on you every moment! But you have been living in your expectations, in your small tiny trivial desires, and because things were not fitting with your desires, you were miserable. When you follow the nature of things, no shadow is cast.

Even sadness is luminous then. Not that sadness will not come-it will come-but it will not be your enemy. You will befriend it, because you will see its necessity. You will be able to see its grace, and you will be able to see why it is there and why it is needed. And without it you will be less, not more.